Combining waterfowling with other types of hunting or fishing can make for a great day outdoors

East Coast Honkers and Stripers

The East Coast is steeped in waterfowling traditions that date back hundreds of years. Over the past several decades, the Chesapeake Bay region, especially Maryland's Eastern Shore, has become a goose hunting magnet. Plenty of Canada geese are raised in the region, and many more migrate here each winter.

The fishing in Chesapeake Bay is nearly as famous as the waterfowl hunting. Striped bass, bluefish, flounder, and a variety of other species are caught in good numbers, but it's the big stripers, also called rockfish, that steal the show in the fall. When water temperatures drop, stripers migrate along the Atlantic Coast and winter off the shores of Virginia and North Carolina, feeding voraciously as they move along. The big ones, which tend to hang out in deep water during the summer, get active as the waters cool. Fishing with live baitfish like mullet, bunker, and eels is the best bet for catching a big one. But plenty of stripers are also caught on jigs, spoons, and other artificial lures.

*Note: If you have a member login from the previous website, you may enter it here to access your My DU account. Visit our FAQ page for more details.

Choose Your Content

Welcome to your personalized My DU homepage! In addition to the exclusive web benefits for members, you can now personalize your own DU web page with the content that you care about the most. Select your favorite hunting, conservation and local information and you’ll see an instant summary each time your return to the page.

New features will be introduced to My DU in the coming weeks and months – so check back often.